20 Years Later, Where Are They Now? The Cast of “The Cosby Show”
THE FRIENDS/BOOS
Deon Richmond
Kenny, aka, “Bud,” was the buddy (and possible boo) of Rudy on the show. He often got a lot of funny but misguided advice from his older brother that he would try to share with Rudy, making many of their exchanges on the show very hilarious. After “The Cosby Show,” Richmond showed up with recurring roles on the shows “Getting By,” “Sister, Sister,” and the show, “Teachers.” He’s also done a lot of popular movies for young people: Scream 3, Trippin’, Not Another Teen Movie, and Van Wilder. He’s now doing a movie called FDR: American Badass!
Michelle Thomas
She played Theo’s longtime girlfriend, Justine. We’ve covered Thomas before (Where Are They Now: Family Matters), so in case you missed it: Thomas went on to play the very silly but sweet Myra Monkhouse on “Family Matters.” She was about one thing, and one thing only–loving her some Steve Urkel. Though she seemed like the perfect fit for him with her bubbly self, Urkel ended up leaving Monkhouse behind for his love, Laura Winslow. After the show ended, Thomas did “The Young and the Restless,” but sadly, the actress passed away in ’98 at the age of 30 after battling a rare form of stomach cancer.
Karen Malina White
White was known as chatterbox Charmaine both on “The Cosby Show,” and “A Different World.” After having the opportunity to show out on both shows, she had a role on “Malcolm & Eddie” as Nicolette, and voiced Dijonay Jones on “The Proud Family.” She’s also been in a few movies (not just Lean on Me), showing up in Once Upon a Time…When We Were Colored, and producing a short film called Kissed By the Devil.
Allen Payne
LANCE! *in Charmaine voice* He was the boyfriend of Charmaine, and we got to catch our first looks at the brother on this show. After the fact, the cutie went on to do a LOT of movie work, classic black movies at that: CB4, Jason’s Lyric, Vampire in Brooklyn, The Walking Dead, Blue Hill Avenue, and in the TV movie, “The Tuskegee Airmen.” Along with Keshia Knight Pulliam, he also starred in “House of Payne.”
Carl Anthony Payne II
He was Theo’s best friend, Cockroach, for the early seasons, but allegedly, after refusing to get a haircut, he was fired by Bill Cosby (why not get the freaking haircut!?) and written out of the show. But Payne bounced back okay. We’ve covered him before too (Where Are They Now: Martin), so once again, in case you missed it: Cockroach! Well, he was Cockroach in his “Cosby Show” days, but on “Martin,” he was the uber-stupid but lovable Cole Brown. You know, the guy who loved all the hats, cleaned planes, loved him some Big Shirley and lived with his mother? That hilarious guy. When the show ended, Payne stuck to a lot of TV work, including a few episodes of “The George Lopez Show,” a guest appearance on “Girlfriends,” and most recently, appearing on a few episodes of BET’s “The Game.”
William Thomas Jr.
As Dabnis Brickey, Thomas was the object of Vanessa’s affections. Well, at least for a while, because in the end, the characters broke off the engagement they had going on. But anywho, after “The Cosby Show,” Thomas did a lot of guest spots on shows like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “The West Wing,” “Sister, Sister, and he had a recurring role on “The Bold and the Beautiful” most recently in 2005.
More on Madame Noire!
- True Life: I Was Dating a Man With a Secret…
- Who Gon’ Check Me, Boo?: Annoying Things You Should Check Your Friends About
- It’s The Most Ratchet Time of the Year: The Ugliest Prom Dresses of All Time
- Wonder What It Was Like To Date A Young Obama? 2 Ex-Girlfriends Reveal All
- Don’t Play With Me: 6 Things You Don’t Joke About With Black Women
- When Dining Goes Bad: Family Locked In Restaurant When They Refuse To Tip
- Patience is a Virtue: An Open Letter To My Future Husband
